Gangaramaya Temple situated on Nawam Mawatha, Colombo is an iconic place of reverence with spectacular scenic beauty with its associated lake, the Beira that runs through Colombo city. Devotees and foreigners from across the world travel to pay homage and visit this temple and its precincts as it has been recognised as a key influential travelling destination among both local and foreign visitors besides pilgrims. Even though the temple looks relatively new, it was actually built somewhere in the 1800s. The Gangaramaya is well known for conducting the annual Nawam Perahera that parades the streets for many days with many decorated elephants carrying caskets of holy relics, traditional dancers from across the country showing their talents, schools marching in the parade with Buddhist and national flags held high and many other features to make it the most glamorous parade that can be witnessed in Colombo. It can be said that it is only second to the Kandy Perahera. Gangaramaya Temple is located near many Colombo city hotel options such as the well placed The Steuart by Citrus and is within easy reach of prominent landmarks in the city.
The temple was founded by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sumangala Nayaka Thero. The temple is most times crowded with devotees even on other days of the week besides the Poya days (full moon days) which speaks volumes of its importance to Sri Lankans living in Colombo and its suburbs as a sacred Buddhist temple and shrine to pay homage at. The Gangaramaya Temple boasts a hair relic of Lord Buddha that was gifted from Bangladesh which is why it is a most venerated place in comparison to other temples in Colombo. The Darma Shalawa that is located in the tiny islet in the middle of the Beira Lake connecting with a beautifully erected bridge is the cynosure to all passing by on the streets surrounding it and from an aerial view as well.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+